Into A New World
by Starcrossed Gemini
Summary: The Furious Five & Tai Lung are blasted into 21st century Earth as humans, in a race against time to save their homeland. Learning how to cope in highschool, 16 year old Tigress meets charming & sarcastic Cairo. True love. But the clock is ticking…
1. Prologue

**Into A New World**

**A/N: This story does not take place in Valley of Peace, mind you.**

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><p>SPLASH.<p>

Tigress felt herself land in a wet and shallow water body. A well perhaps? Her mind pondered as her body floundered in the wetness. It was deeper than she thought. And as her feet touched solid ground, the first feeling that rose like a gorge in her throat was not one of immense relief, but instead, it was a feeling of hesitant disbelief.

Her feet that touched the ground were smooth, and the uneven stones on the ground pricked her now delicate skin. Where was the soft pad on her paws, and the long, sharp, retractile claws?

As Tigress stood there, body half submerged in water, it took her a moment before it finally dawned upon her. Shifu was not joking. She should have known, that red panda and his white moustache never joked, except when Po came about, blundering on his fat legs.

Her bright orange eyes narrowed into slits and she bared her mouth back into a snarl and then it fully impacted on her that her mouth simply did not work in the old ways anymore. It hurt when she tried to stretch it further. And she knew for sure, it finally came to her full-force.

Tigress was human.


	2. Chapter 1: A Walk To Remember

**CHAPTER 1**

**A/N: The story takes place after Po became a Dragon Warrior, but before Tai Lung was defeated.**

**Okay, so here's the first official chapter!**

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><p>"Go, quick!" Crane urged, his beak tweaking as he gestured with his feathered wings.<p>

Po nodded solemnly, bringing speed to his legs as he dashed towards his destination. _His mission had begun._

Viper gazed on from behind, a fond smile lacing her stinging fangs, sighing, "He has grown so, hasn't he?" The Crane nodded in response, whereas Monkey shot her a funny look.

"Do try not to sound so old," Monkey said suavely, but being the impatient and short attention-span creature that he was, in the next moment, his attention bypassed Mantis to the only member of the Furious Five who remained in a stony, stoic silence by the walls of the courtyard.

Tigress.

In the shadows of the red walls, her posture was rigid and brooding. Her stiff silhouette was just a representation of the hard-core, iron-jawed Kungfu Master she was and had always been. But, the Furious Five knew that beneath her powerful and firm exterior was a warm compassion and easily touched heart that many were blindly oblivious to. Nevertheless, that warm and spirited side had vanished for the moment.

It was apparent that Tigress had not taken the news well— the fact that Shifu had sent Po on this mission instead of her. It was strongly believed, by Shifu and herself, that Oogway was about to choose her as the Dragon Warrior before Po's entrance, despite Oogway's vehement denial.

But, oh, what had become of it? Shifu had turned from his initial beliefs and it had added to Tigress's bitter resentment. That blundering lump of black and white had thwarted her dream; that blundering lump had taken what was hers; _she_ was the Dragon Warrior, not him. Not now. Not ever. Yes, most certainly not now.

But, what of it? Po was on his way to an important mission to save their Valley, ensure Kungfu's fragile existence and the like. After all, Tai Lung had escaped from prison, and his past allies were emerging from the shadows, in glory of their old Master. Fortunately, the news had reached their ears as swift as the Northern wind. A woodcutter Pig had been doing his job in the forests of the South, near the very snowy peaks of Mongolia in which Tai Lung had been imprisoned.

The poor Pig had discovered with terror that converged there in multitudes and masses, were Rhinoceros traitors and mutineers from various realms with a voracious desire for the art of Kungfu. Dark, brooding and increasingly powerful, they lay in the darkness, waiting for their master to signal to them the right moment to pounce. Anything for the Dragon scroll and the secrets it that were inscribed in it.

And the terrorized Pig made a long and hard journey to the Valley of Peace. With a haunted look in his beady eyes, he recounted faithfully, everything he had seen and heard to the Furious Five. And Po of course— he was eating pork bao buns at the side. Shifu's and Master Oogway's worst fears had been realized.

There was to be a revolution. One that would shake the Kungfu world, shatter the delicate balance, smash the bubble of piece— all into smithereens.

Master Oogway had gone into deep thought and meditation at the foot of the Sacred Peach Tree of Heavenly Wisdom, proclaiming that he should not be disturbed. As days passed, Shifu grew worried, and he had decided to send one of his disciples to the forest, to learn the secrets of the enemy, the whereabouts of Tai Lung, and get rid of a few in the process.

And drawing back to the present, Po— the honourable chosen one— had finally set forth on his mission. Not Tigress, much to the surprise of the Furious Five, and Tigress herself in particular. Shifu gave no reason.

As the others headed back into the Jade Palace, Tigress stood there, sullen and silent. Po had long vanished in the mist, down the thousands of steps. But, Tigress felt an emotional burden on her shoulders that she could not get rid of not matter how hard she tried.

Yes, she was supposed to be hard-core, firm, collected, powerful and strong. Yes, she was a Kungfu master, the unofficial leader amongst the Furious Five. Yes, she was a tiger, ruthless and merciless, acclaimed for her instant kills. Yes, she was all that… But, she was also, what everyone failed to notice, a _girl_. For years, Tigress had strived to be the best, for Shifu to be proud of her, a female tiger, who could surpass the ability of any male ones. She craved for acceptance, love, understanding and needed above all, to be valued. The moment she had waited excruciatingly came finally, on that day of the selection of the Dragon Warrior. And it was to be her, until the big lump fell from the sky in a flurry of fireworks.

The sheer absurdity of the situation never failed to bring a mocking smile to her jaw. And, Tigress, being the strong Master she was, had been resilient. She planned to show that panda exactly who had the upper hand. So what if he was selected by a mistake of fate. What he had, she did better. What he lacked was precisely what she excelled in— Kungfu. And at the most serious of all possible serious occasions, Shifu had ignored her volunteering paw and entrusted the responsibility to that exact panda.

The hollowness in Tigress's heart was too deep and too wide to be filled. She had given up on trying to be valued by a person. There was no more use for her to work for something seemingly so far away. Would anyone ever look at her and appreciate her for her?

Surreally, Tigress turned from the scene, finally striding away from the place she was in for the past few hours till sunset. And as she walked away, she knew, she was walking away from the only thing she thought would ever make her feel needed and important— _Kungfu_.


End file.
